In The Rough
by Cher
Summary: Usagi a woman on the run from a wealthy life. Mamoru A womanising CEO. What will happen when their worlds collide? Think Pretty Woman meets Maid in Manhatten but don't think Usagi will be your typical diamond In The Rough
1. All That Glistens

Hello! Welcome to my new fic. I've had a loooong hiatus and I hope that my longstanding fans can forgive me for my brief disappearance. I hope you enjoy this. It's something that I have been toying with for a long time. I do not own Sailor Moon or any of its affiliated parties. Also, I have limited knowledge regarding the diamond/jewellery industry so forgive me for any blunders yes? Ta!

Author: Cher

Email: R (just in case hee)

**In The Rough**

**Chapter One**

_All that Glistens _

There was something to be said about a woman's hand. If she was well kept it was a testament to her lifestyle. Long nails adorn long fingers, polished and buffed to glimmer under even the dimmest lights. A woman's hand was just as much the inside to her life as her eyes. You could tell everything from a woman's hand. Jewellery was the advocate of this.

Is she wearing hulking pink diamonds on the middle finger? She's young, rich, bubbly and probably impeccably groomed to follow the latest designer trends.

What about a string of beads nestled simply on the thumb? Creative. This girl's jewellery is probably on par with her clothes - that is to say, homemade and all the more quaint for it. An artist in every sense of the word, her hands are probably speckled with paint as well as the random creations of jewellery you might find. She might be rich or poor materialistically speaking, but the girl with the homemade jewellery has wealth in her soul.

Ah the left ring-finger diamond. This is probably the happiest you'll ever see any woman. The left hand fingers will wave constantly throughout the day. Up and down and side to side, she wants you to see how beautiful her hands are now that they are graced by the presence of an engagement ring. Regardless of shape, colour, style and price the engagement ring is the ultimate achievement for a woman in this century.

That is what Usagi Tsukino used to think. Back when her own left ring finger was graced by the presence of the unique Harry Winston diamond her and her fiancé had designed together. Back then Usagi loved her feminine hands. Her nails were always French-tipped. Her hands were always spotless.

She looked down now to assess her once beautiful hands. They were pale now, no longer slender and elegant but skeletal. The nails were ripped and scaly from when she pulled off her last set of acrylics. She had a few scars on her hands now too. Evidence of the last two months she spent cleaning hotel rooms for the pittance her boss called a wage.

With a small sigh, Usagi reached into her handbag and grabbed a hair elastic. In a deft movement she had pulled her golden hair into a ponytail, her fringe still hanging irritably over one eye. Back when she had money the fringe was easily maintained. It was one of her trademarks. Her golden hair layered effortlessly downwards, across her back. She was what the Paris Hilton's and Jessica Simpson's ached to be and now her famous hair was growing at an alarming rate. She'd have to get it cut - after she paid her phone bill that is.

As if on cue her mobile phone shrieked to life. She reached in and grabbed the slim black flip-phone. It was yet another memento of her once comfortable life.

"Usagi Tsukino speaking." She said in a hushed tone, so not to disturb the other passengers on the train.

The voice on the other end of the line was mechanical and very American. "Will you accept a collect call from…Mina…?" Usagi's face lit up, the whispered voice of her familiar friend pulled a smile from Usagi. "Yes, yes of course." Usagi said quietly into the phone.

"Usa!" Minako's voice was whispered and hurried and so good to hear.   
"Minako! It's so wonderful to hear from you!"  
"Oh Usako, you too!" She giggled, the excitement clear in her voice. "Yaten would kill me if he knew what I was doing. I snuck out to the payphone, it's two blocks from our hotel but it's so worth it to hear your voice."

"H…how is he?" Usagi asked, feeling the stress spread it's way through her neck. "Yaten I mean."  
"He's fine. Pish posh, I don't want to talk about him." Usagi could almost hear the smile on Minako's face. "How are YOU more importantly?"

Usagi forced a smile to her face, even though Minako couldn't see her. "Fine, I got a new job in the country. The pay is…" Usagi laughed softly at this point. "Well not what I'm used to of course but it's much more than my last job."

"God Usako! I'm so glad you got out of that bloody hotel. It may have five star services but by the sounds of things they treated you pretty miserably. How are you for money? Do you need a loan?" When Minako offered Usagi a loan what she really meant was she wanted to give Usagi money and forget about the transaction completely.

"No, no." Usagi could feel the tears of shame pricking at the back of her eyes. "Minako, this is something I must figure out myself. I made the mistakes and I must suffer the consequences."

Minako scoffed audibly into the phone. "Usa, I'd hardly call what happened between you and Seiya a mistake on your behalf. In any case if you get desperate you can always ask your parents." Her voice softened, she was so kind. "They're really quite worried about you Usa, you just…left everything behind you. Are you sure you don't want me to tell them where you are?"

"No! Minako please, I don't want anyone to know where I am. I shouldn't have even told you."

Minako gasped at this. "Usa, why would you say such a thing, you're like a sister to me."  
Usagi smiled. "Suppose Yaten caught you talking to the woman who completely destroyed his best friends life. What would that do to your marriage?"

Usagi could hear Minako clicking her tongue on the other end of the line. "Usagi, I've known you since high school. Yaten would just have to deal with it." She said rather firmly. "The only reason I keep it secret from him is that it is so soon since the whole…ordeal."

"Well you're right, it was an ordeal and the best thing for everyone involved is for me to just disappear." Usagi chewed on her thumbnail nervously, worried at the consequences of contacting Minako all those weeks ago. "I should let you go Minako" she sighed softly "I don't want you to get in trouble."

"Nonsense, stop being so wibbly. Now I'll be over to visit you in a month's time. You best be back on your feet young lady or I'll be dragging you straight to Ami's office in London for a serious reality check." Minako said, her mother voice firmly in place.

"Thanks Minako, but no matter what state I'm in when you get here, I need to do this on my own."  
"Usagi, I know this, but just don't turn away from your friends. Ami, myself, all the girls, we still love you no matter what. Quickly tell me about your new job before I have to sneak back to the hotel." More giggles.

"There's not much to tell. It's a live-in job so I'll be staying on the premises which means no rent but I'll be stuck in the countryside." Minako made a small noise of disgust. "The pay is good. They described the job as a kind of…personal assistant to a very busy man." Usagi said, feeling the nerves rise again.

"Yech, stuck in the country serving an old English coot! Honestly Usa, think about coming home. You can always move just out of Tokyo, away from everyone but still close by. Your parents will help you out."

"No Minako, I need to do this."  
"Hai, of course you do. Must run; remember to call my super secret cell if you desperately need to. I love you Usa, take care okay!"

"Love you to Minako, thanks for calling. I miss you!"  
"Hai, me too! Ja!"  
Usagi smiled. "Ja!" She said this softly, snapping the phone shut. Minako just couldn't understand the idea of starting a new.

Usagi turned her attention to gaze out of the window as the cityscape of London melted into the green meadows of Southern England. She was headed for Kent, just South of London and she was scared. Usagi glanced down at the crumpled fax in her hand and sighed shakily. She read and re-read the information supplied to her.

Assistant/keeper of busy professional + Home

Must be well kept and have knowledge of social etiquette

Wages negotiable hours not

You will be required to live on the premises and will be on call most of the day and night.

Applicants must have prior experience in service industry

Usagi thought she sounded like the exact candidate they were after. After a few phone interviews and some transferring of paperwork it was eventually Usagi's mentioning of her Japanese upbringing that sealed the deal.

"You're not actually Japanese are you? Why your accent is as English as the Queen." Gushed the interviewer over the phone.

Usagi simply laughed. "No, I'm afraid not. My parents were English, I was born here but we moved to Tokyo when I was four." She explained to the interviewer how her parents were quite wealthy and hired a Japanese nanny to look after her as she grew up.

This, Usagi made clear, was where her Japanese heritage came from. If it weren't for Luna - a pet name for her nanny - Usagi would still be plain Jane 'Serena' from Yorkshire, England. If that were the case though, none of the mess with Seiya would have happened in the first place.

"Well I must say, those Japanese are awfully polite. Would you consider yourself like them?"  
Usagi smiled, feeling a little rush of satisfaction as she blitzed the interview. "Oh yes, it's all I've ever known."  
"Well Miss T…Tu…"  
"Tsukino." Usagi proffered gently.  
"Yes, yes very well. I think it's safe to say you've got the job young lady."  
Usagi gasped in delight. "I haven't even met my employer…shouldn't you confer with him?"  
The kindly woman on the other end of the phone laughed in delight. "Nonsense, when it comes to these kinds of decisions I always get the final say."

Usagi laughed and thanked the woman who informed her that she would need to be on a train at once.  
So that was where Usagi was. Sitting on a train, replaying the events in her mind that led her to this fragile moment in her life. In a short while, Usagi had drifted off into a dreamless sleep, her once perfect hands resting possessively on her handbag.

----

"Welcome to Eastwell Manor, Miss Tsukino." A middle-aged redhead took Usagi's handbag from her and passed it onto the stiffly standing butler.

Usagi stared in awe at the ancient manor that towered before her. The manicured lawn stretched for acres either side of her. There were rose gardens, hedged mazes, and water fountains, all of it rising up from the grounds as if some kind of fairy tale was opening up in front of her. The house itself sat in the middle and was built of a beautiful coloured stone. It looked like a castle towering above her, three stories high with ancient vines creeping their way skyward across the silvery-grey stone. The front door itself was traditional of a castle, arched and high and made from heavy wood. Usagi could make out rich curtains inside the several windows that spotted the walls of the manor.

"It's so…" Usagi said, unable to finish her thought.

"Beautiful? It's nationally listed, a historic property dating back to…" Usagi felt a small smile tugging at her lips as she took in the immense gardens stretching onwards for acres, the woman who was speaking long forgotten..

The woman talking to her was Molly, a polite British woman who was head of the household staff. Her husband, Melvin helped the master with his books. They had, Molly revealed, been with the master for some time. Molly had served the masters parents when he was a toddler and in doing so had seen him grow into the powerful young businessman he was today. It was through the master that Molly had met her love Melvin.

Usagi smiled politely listening to the tale of her new boss' love story, pushing thoughts of Seiya from her mind.

"…And you're lucky enough to be sleeping just down the hall from us, so if you need anything at all you be sure to ring us on the intercom." Molly said handing Usagi a thick book of extension numbers that each were assigned to certain areas of the house. Usagi was having a bit of trouble taking it all in. While Molly continued her barrage of instructions, Usagi felt the throbbing beginnings of a migraine. It was so much to take in, the manor, the constant chatter, not to mention the instructions. With a shaky hand, Usagi pressed her temple in a feeble attempt to rid the impending pain.

"Bless me, are you alright, miss?" Molly said.

"Fine, if it's alright with you, may I have a quick lie down? I think all the travelling has caught up with me." Usagi said, smiling, her eyes apologetic.

"Of course, the Master can't meet with you till tomorrow anyway, you go ahead and have an early night, I've prepared your bathroom and like I said if you need anything, call us on the intercom."

Usagi nodded as they made their way through the maze of the house.

When they reached her room, Usagi couldn't mask her astonishment. While she was expecting a cramped, simple living quarter, what stood before her blew her away.

While it wasn't enormous, the room was large and spacious. Directly in front of the doorway was a semi-circular alcove that housed a desk, covered with all kinds of technological gizmos. A large wooden bed was revealed as Usagi and Molly stepped further into the room. It was tucked away to the left of the doorway, enclosed by the mini-hall in the entryway.

"I…I thought this was the servants quarters." Usagi said, completely bewildered

Molly simply smiled and said, "It is, Love. I've a feeling you've underestimated your position here though. If you feel up to it have a read of our policy and procedures we've left for you on the desk. I'll leave you be now, your bathroom is through that door on the right. Again, call if you need me." Molly left before a shocked Usagi could even utter her gratitude.

Her migraine forgotten, Usagi took a hesitant step into her room. Her hand lifted to touch the elegant design that curled across the cream wall. The bed was large, she thought maybe a king-size, with a beautiful brown spread. The detailing on the rich cotton was in gold and spread from the cover to the pillows. She turned her attention to the desk and noticed the curving window seat behind it that looked out onto the epic garden beneath it.

Usagi turned and noticed a rich wooden cupboard resting against the left wall. She resisted the urge to giggle with delight as the cupboard opened to reveal an entertainment system that featured anything and everything she'd need to unwind after a long day at work.

Usagi tore her eyes from the elaborate entertainment set up and made her way to the bathroom, a new bounce in her step.

She was speechless when she opened the bathroom door. An old-fashioned clawfoot tub sat completely at ease in the marble finished bathroom. A shower was nestled away in the corner and the room itself opened into a walk in robe that was half-full with a variety of clothes bearing the Eastwell logo. Her uniform perhaps? She wasn't too sure, though it was all her size.

Usagi had bought with her the bare essentials, underwear, toiletries, a few outfits from her days as a rich society wife and her beloved vintage 'Venus' by Dior. A vision of charcoal grey silk and net. It was worth more than her life, she thought, at this moment in time and Usagi delicately lifted it from the battered Louis Vuitton suitcase she had salvaged in time, before she walked out on Seiya. Two suitcases were all she took and one was filled with the dress that she treasured. She'd never even had the opportunity to wear it. Usagi gingerly hung it at the back of the wardrobe, hidden behind a line of three different coloured terrycloth bathrobes.

After Usagi had unpacked her belongings into the wardrobe she threw herself into the shower, eager to wash away the hours of travelling she had endured that day.

Could this be happening? She'd felt for sure she'd walked away from a life of luxury for good. Growing up, meeting Seiya, all of her life she had been pampered and comfortable. Now as she tried to live her life incognito she was once again thrust into the comfort and opulence of money. While the thought made her smile a little, Usagi was determined to keep her feet planted firmly on the ground. None of this belonged to her. It was the 'masters' and if she didn't do her job to his standards, he could promptly snatch it all away from her.

It was this thought that nagged at Usagi as she towelled herself dry. She slipped into her boy-leg pyjama bottoms and white cotton singlet and padded her way to the desk and found the policy and procedure documents that Molly had told her about. With a small sigh, she lifted her body onto the window seat and began thumbing her way through the hefty documents.

Mamoru Chiba hated his current situation. He gazed listlessly out of the window from his third story office. He was home, which explained why it felt so wrong to be working as hard as he was.

Mamoru was successful in every aspect of his life. He had money, more than enough, so much so that it was almost laughable. He had his family to thank for that. His ancestors had lived in Eastwell Manor since the 19th century. Mamoru's family originated in Japan, though their work in the jewel industry eventually led them to take up residence in England. They were one of few Japanese families that socialised in the high-class English aristocratic society. Mamoru was proud of his heritage, prouder of his fathers' success in business.

Not content with simply dealing jewels, Kazuya Chiba pushed Chia Inc. into the realm of jewellery design.

When Mamoru took over at the age of 26, his parents having passed away after a drunk driving accident, the company was slowly spiralling out of control.

Kazuya had done a good job launching Chia as a high-class diamond house that specialised in Haute Couture but as the years went by and his drinking problem escalated he let the reigns of the company slip little by little.

It had taken Mamoru 2 years to rebuild most of the departments. When he took over, he fired almost half of the executive and dispelled the board. Choosing key players who were both competent in business and passionate about the pieces, Mamoru steadily bought the company back into flourish.

It was too early for celebrations yet, but Mamoru knew that his success would arrive soon. Despite his fathers alcoholic rampage towards the end of his life, Mamoru knew he had paved the way to success for Mamoru, Chia was destined for great things with its easy access to jewels to its sleek, sophisticated jewellery designs, Mamoru was sitting in the throne of what could be the most successful of its kind.

Smiling, Mamoru spun his chair from the window and stood. He flexed his neck muscles and felt the tension ease only slightly. He knew that he'd have to call it a night he had a big day tomorrow which started with the long drive back into London. Mamoru hated that he was constantly back and forth between the countryside and the city but his advisors had recommended the temporary move to the country for secrecy. The business world was abuzz with gossip of how the young heir would right the wrongs of his father within the company.

Mamoru's final piece in the puzzle was of course the showrooms. There were four in Europe, three in Asia and six in the United States. When Mamoru had entered the company he found that not only his executive team were slack and listless in their business affairs, but also the showrooms that housed the exquisite pieces were nothing short of dismal. It was his final task now to reinvent them so that they competed with the likes of Tiffany's and Cartier. His designs were top secret and every business gossip columnist was eager to grab a piece of the puzzle. Nothing could be leaked and it meant that Mamoru was stuck in his country estate with no company aside from the help.

Which reminded him, his new house assistant was arriving today. He had conferred with Molly on this one and given instant approval when he was told she was from a Japanese background. Mamoru knew the Japanese well; he was after all from that bloodline. Compliant and timid, exactly the type of woman he needed to assist him while he was stuck in the country.

Mamoru remembered he had her contract still sitting on his desk. He poured himself a scotch while he tried to remember if she was arriving today or tomorrow. Mamoru lifted his organiser from the desk and scanned the page before him. He was meeting her tomorrow so he assumed she'd be arriving then. Mamoru loosened his tie and lifted it from his neck, feeling the hot alcohol spread through his chest. He ran a tired hand through his inky black hair and looked haggardly to his computer screen. The time blinked ten minutes past midnight. It was definitely time for Mamoru to call it a day.

Mamoru's thoughts briefly flickered over the prospect of his empty bed. That was another thing he hated about being stuck in the countryside. Unless he wanted to fool around with his staff there was really no one appropriate for him to bed.

Not one to consider the feelings of the women he seduced, Mamoru was known in London for his straying eye. He was never long left alone by the female sex and he always had a woman at his side whenever he ventured from the office. Be it at corporate functions or a quiet nightcap. Yes, Mamoru had no reason to settle, although it didn't stop the gold diggers from sniffing around every now and then.

Mamoru usually used them for their bodies, taking great delight in sending them packing no matter how hard they tried to win his heart. He could always see them coming from a mile away.

It was with this thought that he strode soundlessly through the hall of his house. He would drop the contract into his new assistants empty living quarters and then have a long, hot shower. Mamoru bit the papers in his mouth and began unbuttoning his shirt as he trotted down the steps to make his way to the west wing, where he would be housing his assistant.

With in no time he had arrived at the door to the servant quarters. What used to be a dorm for more than eight servants, Mamoru had transformed into a suite reserved for the one he would be working closely with. He smiled at the thought of his new assistant, something to brighten his day. He loved the way Japanese woman looked, dressed, spoke and thought. He loved everything about their childlike manner. Mamoru wondered if his new assistant would be as small as Yukiko, the last Japanese girl he'd bedded almost two months ago while on a business trip in Okinawa. Yukiko was soft, short and almost too cute for Mamoru to leave the next morning. He felt a stirring in his pants as he remembered the night he spent with her, the delightful sounds she made as he thrust himself viciously into her body.

Opening the door, Mamoru's rakish grin widened as he remembered her offering him her soiled, pink frilly panties as he left. He didn't take them, Mamoru was a man of class, he wouldn't ever stoop that low.

That was his final thought as he heard a sharp intake of breath. To his surprise the room was well lit and the smell of Chanel perfume wafted in the air. Mamoru turned his eyes to the source of the gasp and almost stumbled backward at the site of a tall leggy blonde draped across his favourite Baroque piece, the burgundy chaise lounge, and his first piece of vintage furniture he'd ever purchased.

The blonde wore nothing but a pair of chocolate brown boy-leg panties and a matching cotton bra. Mamoru's eyes slid over her long, tanned legs, toned to perfection, and crossed invitingly over one another. Her stomach was taut and flat, and he could see a sparse dusting of golden hair trailing from her belly button to the waistband of her panties. This was, Mamoru thought briefly, his favourite part of a woman, the golden road, and hers was not helping the earlier stir in his pants. He lingered on her breasts, full and perky in their constraints, lying on her side meant that they were pushed together to form a slight cleavage. To Mamoru, she was the perfect size, just a touch more than a handful.

The blonde goddess had a long neck; her lips were parted in a small o of surprise and her blue eyes wide in shock. Golden blonde hair that looked softer than silk and it tumbled down around her shoulders. Mamoru had the sudden urge to wrap it around his fist and pull her to him…but who was she?

She moved first, brushing her fringe out of her eye. She looked as if she couldn't believe this almost-shirtless man had intruded her space. Mamoru remembered himself and looked down at his bared, chiselled chest. She was moving a cushion in front of her stomach. She was clearly feeling very vulnerable.

Mamoru shook his head and placed the forgotten contract on the entryway table. "Can I help you?" He said, taking another step into the room to which she visibly tensed.

"Uh…I'm not sure…I…who…Are you…?" She stammered, her eyes darting around the room as she tried desperately to avoid his gaze.

Mamoru couldn't place her accent. There was a definite British undertone but she had something else, something more exotic laced in. He watched with amusement as she visibly collected herself and took a deep breath.

"Could you hand me a robe? They're in through that door." She said, her eyes a little harder now that the initial shock wore away.

Mamoru smirked and made his way to the walk in wardrobe. He thumbed through the robes and finally selected a short, navy silk robe. His smirk spread into a smile. She must have been a guest of Molly's. But why would Molly put her in this suite when the little Japanese girl would be arriving tomorrow? Mamoru shrugged and made his way back out to the delicious woman sitting on his lounge. He tossed the robe to her and nearly sighed in disappointment when she slipped her arms through the sleeves.

As she was fumbling for the tie she looked up at him, he was unabashedly staring at her as she slipped into the robe.

Her eyes flashed, "Who the hell are you? You can't just storm into somebodies room like this!" She said, her voice more confident.

Mamoru smiled, burying his hands in his pockets. "I'm Mamoru Chiba and I can storm into any room in my house if I so feel the need." He said, grinning boyishly.

The girl's mouth opened in awe. She knew his name and he desperately hoped she wasn't another gold digger.

She rushed to him, the tie on her robe forgotten so that it lifted behind her, exposing her beautiful body to him again. The girl reached for the lapels of his shirt and clutched on tightly.

"I am so sorry!" She said, her voice thick with…tears? Mamoru did a double take. Her eyes were red rimmed and her lips were trembling.

"Please, please don't tell Molly about this…" she whispered, her head down, avoiding his eyes.

Mamoru reached for her wrists and lifted her hands from his shirt. He gazed down at her and said, "Why would I tell Molly? Are you a friend of hers or something?"

She looked up at him, all blue eyes and pouty lips. It was almost enough to send him insane. "I'm Usagi Tsukino, your new assistant. Please, God, don't fire me!" She pleaded, reaching for the tie of the robe.

Mamoru's smile instantly fell. She was Usagi Tsukino? THIS was his new assistant? What of the Japanese girl? Why did this woman with the bronzed skin and perfect body have a Japanese name? How did she end up here in his house, as his assistant? Goddamn Molly, didn't she at least have a face-to-face interview? She knew what he got like when he had a woman like that in proximity.

"I'm never going to get any work done again," he whispered, trailing off, gazing at the top of her thigh where the blue silk ended.

"I'm sorry?" Her voice was soft, resigned, she was waiting for the worst.

Mamoru met her eyes and saw fear. He shook his head, smiling a very tight smile. He held his hand out to her and said, "my apologies Miss Tsukino. I was under the impression that you would be arriving tomorrow. I came to drop off your contract. Welcome to Chia. I expect you in my office at 8am sharp."

Usagi could only nod as she shook his hand. He had done a complete transformation from laid back, gorgeous intruder to brisk, cold business executive.

Both Usagi and Mamoru diffused the situation with one thought: _This was going to be a nightmare! _

Done. Ah it feels good to be writing trashy romance again :D I hope I do not offend with Mamoru's brief interlude re: Yukiko. I wanted to really paint him as a womanising business man and went to the extremes with that one. As always, review, email, sing me a song, whatever. I'm always happy to hear from fellow writers and fans. Muah! Cxo


	2. A Short Note to Readers

A short note to Venusgoddess, and any others who were offended by the small note on Asian Women.

I did apologise at the end of my chapter about the descriptions within, however I feel, after reading the review left for me that in my haste I was not clear enough with my intent.

Venus, I agree with everything you said. While I'm not Asian, my dearest friend is Japanese and it was her I had in mind when I wrote Mamoru's musings on female Asians. In my descriptions I thought I had made it clear he was referring to ONE Asian female. Yukiko, who he had dealt with and thus made his inferences based on her. It was no way my intent to generalize that ALL Asian women were like Yukiko.

Like I said at the end of the chapter, I was trying to build a picture of Mamoru that painted him as a womanizer. By doing such, his opinions were extreme and in no way my own.

I knew it was going to be a touchy subject and I did think that I had explained myself enough but one can never be too careful I suppose. The outdated stereotype of Asian women is not one I agree with, only one I use to build a character I am writing about. As an actor, my craft relies heavily on motivations and background information, this greatly affects the way I write and perhaps does not come across as clear as I initially thought it would. I hope hope HOPE that that is now clear and I apologise for any offense I have caused anyone with such material.

I will not however, be removing it from my story. I need Mamoru to be like that. I will be reviewing the paragraph in question to see if there is room for perhaps better wording but as it is 10.30pm and I am working at 7am tomorrow I will leave it till then.

Again, Venus, I am deeply sorry you were offended. I hope that this in no way deters you from this from future reading of my stories and I sincerely appreciate the time you put in to warn me of such offenses. Thank you for bringing it to light in an adult and diplomatic way.

Yours in apologies,

Cher

Ps: Watch this space, chapter two on its way 


	3. Diamonds in the Rough

Hi all! Forgive me for the absence. I have had the craziest couple of weeks. Lots of family dramas and my birthday and just all around craziness! I hope you are all still with me on this one and I promise you that I will be writing more frequently from now on! Enjoy and again, feel free to email me for anything and everything. I'm always happy to chat to fellow fans and writers.

**In The Rough: Chapter Two**

_Diamonds in the Rough_

Rated: R (just in case)

Author: Cher

Email: To: James Morrison – You give me something

Usagi hadn't slept well after her encounter with the new boss. She couldn't shake the feeling of embarrassment out of her mind. That, coupled with the image of Master Chiba's deliciously tanned stomach had Usagi tossing and turning until the early hours of the morning.

Thoughts of Seiya had also clouded her mind as she made a feeble attempt at sleep. Being in this house and having met her boss had cemented her fate in a way more real than anything previous to this. She was finally accepting the reality that she herself had put into motion only two months earlier.

Usagi had left Seiya.

Coming to terms with this was a lot harder than Usagi had thought. The guilt swallowed her up in a way that made her feel like she was choking for breath as she lay, tangled, in expensive sheets.

Usagi sat bolt upright and clutched the sheets to her chest. She had done a horrible thing to a man that had loved her and the only way for her to get over this was to push on with what was left of her once lavish life.

The clock on her bedside table read 5.45am. Mamoru had made it clear that he wanted her to be on time for work. After last nights demonstration she was almost too afraid to face him, but not facing him would be too detrimental for her. She would make this work. She needed to make this work. Her mind was almost at ease with her financial situation and physically, Usagi couldn't be any further away from Seiya if she tried. It was essentially a perfect arrangement. Now all she had to do was keep her boss happy and all will be well.

With that thought adding a new bounce to her step, Usagi made her way to the bathroom to wash her face. She would go for a jog to clear the morning cobwebs. Looking up at her reflection before her, Usagi noticed that her face looked tired and drawn as water rivulets slid down her cheeks. She sighed and lifted her toothbrush to her mouth, willing the time to slow so she wouldn't have to face her new boss.

After dressing in navy running shorts and a white polo, both emblazoned with the Eastwell logo, Usagi dragged herself to the huge kitchen at the back of the ground level of the house.

"Good Morning, Madame Tsukino." A portly, red-faced man beamed at her from behind one of the many kitchen counters.

"Good morning, sir." She said, smiling a tired smile back. She wanted to enquire his name but was afraid he would keep her waiting she didn't have much time before she wanted to begin her morning dressing.

"It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, Madame. My name is Art and should you need anything at all just dial my extension." He said this as he gently stirred a pot of what looked like coffee.

Usagi smiled shyly, her eyes on the blend, "please call me Usagi…is that…?"

It was Art's turn to smile, the gorgeous woman before him was leaning in, dangerously close to the Masters coffee. "This is for the Master, he would have my head on this chopping board if he knew I gave a drop of it away."

Her beautiful face fell instantly, a puff of air pushed from her lips. She reminded the estates chef of a young child, constantly bubbling with energy below the surface.

"Please, Madame Usagi, let me prepare you your own blend. I can guarantee you will not be disappointed. I will have it sent to your room for when you return from your exercises." Art said, smiling genuinely at the blonde.

She returned his smile and nodded, turning on her heel. "Is the master a kind man to work for?" She enquired, looking back over her shoulder. He saw doubt in her eyes and nodded briskly.

"Of course, Madame. But very strict. We must all be wary to follow his rules as not all are so lucky to be employed by the Eastwell estates." All joking was put aside with Art's serious eyes probing her own.

She nodded and turned her back to him. "Good to know. Thank you Art." She said as she took off at a brisk pace.

Art watched her retreating figure through the open cedar doors that led from the kitchen to the huge gardens. He was satisfied she would perform well here and got to work on her morning coffee with a smile on his face. It was always a pleasure to have new staff, especially one as vivacious and beautiful as Usagi Tsukino.

----

Waking up at Eastwell was never a hard thing to do but this morning, Mamoru found it hard to welcome the sunlight into his domain. His body was blanketed in black Egyptian cotton, his head cradled by the perfect balance between hard and soft. He did not know what sort of pillows Molly had made his bed with but he approved. Normally, they lulled him into a peaceful slumber, however last night Mamoru was plagued with visions of half naked blondes sprawled in every room of his house.

Mamoru started at the sound of crunching gravel on the garden path below his window. He was the only one usually out in the garden at this time of the morning. His usual morning jog was delayed by his restless night and Mamoru's lips pursed at the thought of someone beating him to the task.

Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, Mamoru stood in nothing but a pair of black silk boxer shorts and made his way to the balcony. He was pleased to find a pot of his favourite cinnamon coffee already brewed and still steaming on his coffee table. It was nestled amongst the morning papers and his mail, which made Mamoru's smile widen. His staff was amazing here, they never had to be told twice to do something and they were all genuinely friendly people. It was the one thing that made Mamoru's time at Eastwell manageable.

Mamoru poured himself a large mug of coffee and carried it to the balcony. He took a long sip and leaned against the cold stone railing, gazing out over the gardens of his estate. It was beautiful, truly magnificent to watch the sun slowly blanketing the elaborate gardens. He could still see the dew sparkling in the manicured lawns, it was making the air crisp and cool as he breathed it in through his nostrils.

The sound of gravel was heard again and Mamoru located its source. He was not sure whether he should have appreciated the view or retreated inside.

Usagi was making her way through the gardens at quite a run. She was flushed and sweaty, obviously she'd been running for quite some time.

Mamoru marveled at her long legs, the shorts she wore did not even reach mid-thigh. He sucked in a breath as she stopped running and bent over to stretch her thigh muscles. By doing so, her shirt had risen a little, giving him a pleasing view of her tanned back

Every muscle in her body was toned to perfection. He couldn't help but admire the way her lithe body moved, even at this slow pace he swore he could see the muscles sliding beneath her skin.

He watched intently as she stood and turned to face him again. She did not notice his figure on the upper floor balcony and reached for the bottom of her shirt, lifting it to her face she dabbed at the sweat and gave Mamoru an ample and much appreciated view of her stomach, her breasts held taunt in a black sports bra.

Mamoru could take no more and retreated into his bathroom where he promptly took a cold shower. He could not be fantasising about this girl, she had not even started officially working for him yet. He wanted to pound his head against the marble wall but thought better of it, instead he focused on controlling his breathing as he stood under the ice-cold water of the shower.

----

As promised there was a pot of steaming hot coffee on Usagi's desk when she returned from her jog.

She smiled and inhaled the scent, it was caramel and upon tasting it she realised it was absolutely delicious.

Usagi always felt like a new person after a morning run, she was refreshed and her thoughts were almost clear. She still couldn't shake the image of Mamoru from her mind, which made her nervous and jittery as she stripped down for a shower.

She emerged moments later, buffed and shined to perfection. The shower was filled with the expensive toiletries that she was accustomed to from her previous life, she could get used to this very quickly.

Usagi had to remind herself she was in fact at work. Shaking her head she toweled herself dry and slipped into a gun-metal grey lingerie set. Staring at the wardrobe full of Eastwell stamped clothing, Usagi had a brief moment of panic. After reading well into the night, Usagi understood a significant amount of what her position at Eastwell would entail, but hadn't Molly said that Mamoru often worked in London? What would become of Usagi during his trips away? Was she to take on housekeeper? Usagi sighed and settled on a black knee-length pencil line skirt with a white button up blouse. Both pieces bearing the familiar EW, showing the world she was property of the exquisite manor.

Just as she had slipped into her 2 inch black pumps, a brisk knock was heard at her door. Usagi had just enough time to throw her golden locks into a messy bun and dust some bronzer over her cheeks before she swung the door open to reveal Molly.

"Hullo Ms. Tsukino!" Molly said, bustling through the door and planting a loud kiss on Usagi's cheek.

Usagi found herself instantly warming to the lovely woman as she pottered her way through Usagi's room. "Please, Molly, call me Usagi. Am I dressed appropriately?" Usagi asked, a hint of nervousness in her voice which Molly didn't miss.

"Of course you are love! I'm sure the Master will be quite pleased with you're presentation. Now we've got a bit of time before he's expecting us so do you have any questions about the job?" Molly said as she poured herself a small cup of the caramel coffee.

Usagi remembered her own mug and reached for it, tossing back a mouthful. "I'm just a little uncertain as to my actual role…am I a housekeeper or his assistant? I can't really tell with all the documents you gave me." Usagi was gathering the said documents into a manila folder as she spoke. She found her contract and gave it a look of dismay. Hadn't Mamoru said he wanted it signed and on his desk this morning when they met? She hadn't even read it yet!

Usagi tried to hide her panic from Molly and quickly skimmed over the document. It all looked pretty legit. Molly seemed like the type of person that would have warned her if anything foul was afoot so Usagi trusted her gut instinct and scribbled her signature across the bottom of the page.

Effectively sealing her fate with Mamoru. She sighed softly and thought of Seiya. Her reliable, handsome fiancé would have frowned upon such a hasty decision, or doing the work of what he liked to call a servant. Usagi bristled at the thought of Seiya and straightened her posture. She could do this.

"Oh heavens child! You're a bit of everything really. We have a bit of trouble with this particular job description. Come. Come. Walk with me up to the Masters office and I'll explain it on the way."

Usagi reached for her folder of documents and followed Molly into the hallway, managing to swipe a coat of lip gloss on before they were marching rather briskly through the halls of Eastwell.

As they made their way through the manor, Molly explained that for all purposes Usagi was very much like a partner for Mamoru. Her job was technically his personal assistant but her duties covered a range of positions. Usagi would be responsible for upholding the Eastwell Estate's name as well as the Chia Company's good reputation and Mamoru's name in the press. She would be a spokesperson, a housekeeper, a public relations officer, an animal expert and anything else Mamoru deigned necessary to be done.

The prospect terrified her but Usagi couldn't ignore the excitement building within her. Molly told her that she would go with Mamoru wherever he needed her to go. There would be work for her at both Eastwell and his apartment in London. If he required her to attend any events as his 'date' she would be supplied with appropriate attire and shipped off with him.

"My goodness Molly, I may as well bloody marry him." Usagi said with a small laugh as they finally reached his office.

They were still laughing when Molly swung the door open. "For all purposes you will be like his wife. The job has often been compared to such a role. Don't worry though, I'm sure young Master Chiba will respect all boundaries. Won't you Master?" Molly said, making her way over to fuss around Mamoru who had looked up upon hearing voices.

Usagi's mouth was agape and for the second time she felt absolutely mortified in front of her new boss. She inwardly groaned as she imagined him thinking she was secretly infatuated with him, all this talk of wives and duties and dates. A crimson blush spread across Usagi's cheeks as she lowered her gaze and entered his line of sight.

"Now, now Molly we don't want to scare the poor girl. Did you get that contract signed Usagi?" Mamoru said, standing from behind his enormous desk.

Usagi met his eyes and felt her stomach lift into her mouth. She was flustered and nervous and could only muster a nod as she slid the document from the folder and handed it over to him.

"Please, have a seat, thank you Molly, introductions won't be necessary. Usagi and I met last night when I dropped this contract off to her." Mamoru said, his eyes glued to the said contract.

"Very good sir, you call if you need anything. Shall I be expecting Usagi today at all?" Molly asked this as she managed to pile a stack of mail and empty dishes into her arms.

"Not today Molly, I'll be working very closely with Usagi this next week. I need to get her up to scratch with her knowledge of the business and the estate. Thank you Molly." Mamoru said with a dazzling smile that Usagi barely managed to catch from beneath her eyelashes.

She again felt her stomach lurch. His smile literally split the darkness from his face. The contrast of his white teeth against his tanned skin almost made Usagi's head spin. She could barely hear Molly utter her farewells through the ringing in her ears. This wasn't part of her plan. Her boss wasn't allowed to be gorgeous, he was supposed to be old and unattractive! Usagi wanted to cry in frustration, instead she kept her eyes glued to the floor as Mamoru shuffled through paperwork.

His office was uncomfortably quiet and Usagi found her nerves taking over her. She crossed her legs nervously and cleared her throat.

"Forgive me, it's been rather busy over at Chia, I'm just going to clear some of this away so we can get started. How about you make us both a coffee while you wait?"

Usagi finally found the courage to meet his eyes and wished that she hadn't. While hers were probably red and bloodshot from the sleepless night she had, his were sparkling. They were such a dark blue that she almost thought they were black. His thick dusting of eyelashes softened the hardness of his gaze.

He was too good looking to even be real.

"Usagi?"

Usagi shook her head and stood with a small nod. "Yes, right, sorry about that. Where do you uh…" she trailed off, gazing panic-stricken about the room.

"Through the door to the left of that bookshelf. Yes you've got it. I take my coffee black, with one sugar and a dash of cinnamon." He said, turning back to his desk.

If Usagi wasn't so nervous she'd be angry at his demanding tone. It had been a long time since she'd worked beneath somebody and her first task of making coffee indicated to her how she'd be treated by Mamoru.

A small burst of anger spread through her body as she realised that for as long as she was working in Eastwell she would be chained to this brooding man. She was for lack of a better word, his slave until she could move on to something better.

Making coffee was something Usagi was not entirely used to doing especially with a machine as complex as the one Mamoru had asked her to operate. In the tiny kitchenette, Usagi was slowly becoming more and more flustered.

Mamoru could hear her making a bit of noise in the kitchenette and was just about to ask if she was okay when a string of curses burst from her mouth. Even from the next room, they were as clear as if she were screaming them in his ear. He almost smiled at her natural impulse of anger at the very complicated coffee machine he kept on hand.

"Is everything alright in there, Usagi?" Mamoru stood, peering at the closed door of the kitchenette.

The door swung open and she appeared, her hair a little more disheveled than it had been before she went in. She stood with her hands on her hips, one hip cocked higher than the other, the top button of her blouse had popped open and Mamoru could see a small whisper of grey lace.

He swallowed and met her gaze with his own. She was, he realised pouting, her bottom lip jutting just slightly outwards.

"Is there a problem, Usagi?" He smiled, only slightly, but it clearly aggravated her that she had lost her cool and the he was possibly laughing at her.

"I don't know how to work your coffee machine, perhaps you could explain it to me, or show me?" She said, stiffly.

Mamoru nodded and strode to the kitchenette. His back was to her and she admired his hard body as he brushed past her. Mamoru was wearing a black dress shirt, the collar unbuttoned, with dark slacks. He looked like he'd stepped out of the pages of Vogue. Usagi thought he should have been a Hugo Boss model or something that didn't require him to frown too much because that would just ruin his…she ended that thought abruptly and followed him into the kitchenette.

The space was cramped and with the two of them there was little to no room left to move. Mamoru towered above Usagi and she resolved to wear higher shoes to work tomorrow. She felt like a child standing next to him. Everything about him was so much bigger than her own tiny frame.

It only took him a few minutes to explain to Usagi how to work the coffee machine and in that time he had even elicited a smile from her which in turn caused another face splitting grin from him.

Just as Mamoru was feeling confident that the two could work together with ease, Usagi leaned across him to throw her tea-bag into the bin and he caught a proper view of her bra-covered breasts. The grey lace brushed against her bronzed skin and he almost lost control, wanting nothing but to kiss along the line where lace met skin. He could even see the fuchsia pink bow that nestled in her cleavage, she was going to drive him crazy.

Clearing his throat, Mamoru stepped backwards hastily and returned to his desk. He took a long sip of his coffee and despite his foreboding sense of dread, he smiled. She made damn good coffee.

----

The day went without any upsets after the coffee incident. Usagi found that she and Mamoru actually worked quite well together. He was very patient in explaining the inner workings of the company as well as the history and operation of the estate. He clarified her position and set her daily, weekly and monthly targets to meet.

By 6pm they were still sitting in his office, pouring over the accounts of Eastwell. Usagi had fully grasped the operations of Eastwell and Mamoru was confident that she would do a fine job in his absence. He wanted to tell her about his task of redesigning the showrooms but when he looked up at her, the usual excitement in his eyes that came from thinking about his pet project, he noticed that as the minutes slid off the clock she was looking more and more weary.

Usagi had loosened her hair hours ago so that it fell messily around her face. Her shoes had long been kicked off, as had Mamoru's, and she had un-tucked her blouse from her skirt. Mamoru himself wasn't entirely tired, but the two of them hadn't eaten since Molly had delivered a platter of fruit for them at around lunchtime.

"Why don't we finish this up and head to the dining room for dinner?" Mamoru said, running a hand through his silky black hair.

Usagi's eyes widened in surprise when he spoke. Gone was the clipped, formal tone of the day. It had been replaced by a soft, gravely timbre that sent shivers running up and down her spine.

"Sure, that would be lovely. I'm starving!" She said, awarding him a dazzling smile as she stood to fix her hair, pulling it back into a loose ponytail. Mamoru's eyes didn't leave her as she did so which made her feel uncomfortable.

Shaking his head, Mamoru leaned across his desk and flicked on the intercom. He'd done so well in building a comfortable and professional rapport with Usagi, but as soon as he turned events even a tiny bit personal, she freaked out.

Mamoru wondered what had happened to her in the past that made her so flighty. He had noticed over the day that as she worked to understand the estate affairs, she was confident, outspoken and competent. As soon as business was off the table, she turned into a deer, caught in the headlights.

When Molly arrived in the office, the two had packed up all the paperwork and neatened themselves up. "Master, will you be having dinner in your room, as usual?" Molly asked, oblivious to Mamoru's scowl of horror. He did NOT want Usagi knowing that he was prone to dining alone in his living quarters while at Eastwell. One glance to Usagi made him realise that she was completely oblivious also, sneaking a glance at herself in the mirror on his wall, he nearly smiled at her look of despondence, clearly not happy with the tired circles under eyes.

"Not tonight Molly, perhaps you could set the table for four?" Mamoru said, throwing his business jacket over his arm and stepping from behind his desk.

Usagi was able to push the thoughts of his towering build from her mind when they sat across from each other with his massive desk between them. But now she was assaulted with it head on and it made her take a sharp breath. He was so handsome!

"Certainly, Master. And who shall be joining you tonight?" Molly asked, gathering the last of the dishes that Mamoru and Usagi had discarded throughout the day.

"Yourself, Usagi and Melvin of course." Mamoru said, wrapping an arm warmly around Molly's shoulders. "You don't mind do you?"

Molly was clearly touched and smiled up at him with adoration. "Of course not, we had no other plans. It will be lovely getting to know young Usagi and she can finally meet Melvin." Molly said, ushering Usagi out the door, with her and Mamoru following close behind. This treated Mamoru to a spectacular view of Usagi's tight behind as she walked briskly ahead of them.

"Molly why don't you go on ahead? I'll walk Usagi to her suite and we can wrap up what we did here today." Mamoru said, giving Molly's shoulders a tight squeeze before he lifted his arm from her.

She nodded happily and trotted on ahead. "I'll let Art know that dinner will be for four." Molly said, disappearing around the corner of the hallway leaving Usagi and Mamoru alone once again.

Usagi had stopped to gaze at a portrait of Mamoru's family, hanging on the wall. He scarcely noticed it these days, but having Usagi stare so longingly at the picture made him see it in a new light.

He came to stand beside her, their arms brushing against one another. The instant touch sent yet another set of shivers running down Usagi's spine. She looked up at him, her eyes shining.

"It's so lovely. Your parents are beautiful, you all look so happy." Usagi said, her voice tender, almost whispering. It took Mamoru aback, her eyes softening. It was something he had yet to see and it only served to enhance her already stunning features.

Mamoru gave her a brisk smile and placed a hand on the small of her back, leading her away from the painting. "Mmm it was a happy day." Mamoru agreed, not removing his hand from her back. She was warm and he could see her chest rising and falling rapidly. It was like a drug, watching her flustered like this was something Mamoru was beginning to crave.

At this distance, he could smell her shampoo and see the tiny curls of hair at the nape of her neck. She was like nothing he'd ever seen before. She was a beautiful, sexy bomb-shell of a woman who was as timid as a mouse. He knew that these were dangerous thoughts and that his last two PA's were fired for similar reasons. Only with the last two girls it was their own lust and forwardness that eventually led to firing them. Mamoru wanted an assistant, not a casual bed partner. This was the reason he was cursing Molly silently for her choice of assistant. Usagi was assaulting his senses and stirring a desire within him that he wasn't sure he could control.

Sensing his inner turmoil and misinterpreting it, Usagi turned to him and placed a tiny hand on his hard bicep. "Thank you for today, I feel a lot more confident now. I think we're going to make a great team. I'm really excited to meet the rest of the staff here at Eastwell." She said, smiling brightly at him.

Mamoru returned her smile with a curt one of his own. He had to agree with her, business-wise they clicked instantly and he could see that Usagi would be a great asset to him both at Eastwell and within Chia Co.

"It should be a most profitable partnership. In a few weeks, after you get used to Eastwell, we'll get you over at Chia learning the ropes there. I think you will be able to handle it fine. You're a quick learner." His eyes slid from her own to her heaving chest and he himself felt that all too familiar twitch in his pants.

She was almost disappointed. A profitable partnership? It sounded so cold and business like. Usagi knew it would cause problems, but she was hoping for something a little more warm or friendly. She hadn't missed his wandering eye throughout the day. Whenever he thought she wasn't looking, his eyes would roam unabashedly over her body. It sent a burning fire to the very pit of her stomach and made her feel a smidgen of what she used to before she met Seiya.

As a teenager Usagi was always confident and innately aware of her sexuality. She was never promiscuous, but she had grasped her femininity and flaunted it for all she was worth. She loved being a woman, and a sexy one at that and being with Seiya launched her into a whole new world of femininity. Gone were the outfits that were playful and cheeky. Everything was replaced with elegant and matronly. Usagi hated it at first but so much pressure from her parents and Seiya himself led her to slowly accept the gradual change of her personality. She became a completely different person, almost unrecognizable. By doing so, Usagi lost a lot of friends. It was amazing that she had even kept in contact with Minako, who led a similar life to Usagi, but managed to keep shreds of her old personality.

Mamoru and Usagi were both lost in their own thoughts when they finally arrived at her suite. She smiled thankfully up at him, he hadn't needed to walk her here, and she appreciated his thoughtfulness at trying to make her feel welcome.

In all honesty, Mamoru wasn't quite ready to let Usagi out of his sight. After spending the day with her he was quite enamored with her presence. He was quite fond of the sound of her voice, her tinkling laugh and her quiet sophistication. He noticed immediately that she was not well-off. Strictly speaking, any appearance of wealth came from the stock that he himself had bought and paid for in her suite. He could tell that she may have once been from a life of affluence, but now, her hands, feet and hair told the story of natural beauty rather than purchased beauty. It made her all the more appealing to him and he was more than definitely intrigued.

Again she reached for his arm and rested her hand on it gently. The touch making her blush and him shift uncomfortably. "Thank you again, Mr. Chiba. You've given me an excellent opportunity and I can assure you that I won't waste it." She smiled up at him, only a small smile, but dazzling enough to leave a harsh imprint on his mind.

"Of course, Usagi, dinner will be in an hour. You don't have to dress up." He said, winking and turning briskly on his heel to make his way back to his own living quarters.

Usagi closed the door softly behind her and leant against it, tempted to slam her head backwards repeatedly, instead she made her way to the bathroom and stripped down to nothing. She needed a hot shower to ease the lump of tension that was slowly building in her neck. Mamoru was going to send her crazy!

Mamoru was in a similar predicament to Usagi. He knew she was a good worker but his desire and pent up sexual frustration was driving him to breaking point. If he didn't do something to remedy this, he was afraid he might make an advance unwillingly and scare her off. Mamoru was a man of strict control and it angered him that a woman could breeze in and take that control away from him. Swearing loudly in the privacy of his living quarters, he yanked his shirt over his head and stalked to his alcohol cabinet. Pouring himself a scotch, Mamoru went to his desk and recovered his long lost address book. Thumbing through the pages, he found what he was looking for and dialed the number before taking a long burning mouthful of scotch.

"Yes?" A husky female voice demanded upon picking up the phone.

Mamoru smiled languidly, swirling the scotch in his glass. "Hey baby!" He all but drawled.

"Well this is a surprise. I didn't expect to hear from you for months. What's the matter Mamoru? Are the bumpkins giving you a hard time up there?" The voice taunted him.

"Actually I've been rather tied up with business. I have some free time tonight though…I'd love to pick up where we left off." He was smiling to himself now. This was the perfect way to get Usagi out from under his skin.

"I was going to watch a movie…" there was a joking tone to the woman's voice.

"But, you'd rather drive out to Eastwell in nothing but your fur coat right?" Mamoru took another mouthful of scotch.

"Sugar, you just took the words right out of my mouth. I'll see you at 9pm." She hung up without even a goodbye. Mamoru preferred it that way.

Smiling broadly to himself, Mamoru made his way to the shower, downing the last of his scotch. He could do this. He could work with her and draw the line at that. He'd be fine.

---

Whew. Done and done. Thanks again for all the reviews and for patiently waiting for me to pull my finger out of my ass. You guys rock! Muah! xo C


	4. Better a Diamond with a Flaw

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon or any of its affiliated characters.

AN: Oh my Lord! Can you believe I forgot to put disclaimers on the last two chapters! Tsk tsk, naughty me. And for some reason whenever I try to write my email address goes crazyyyy! I love receiving emails from readers and fans and my stupid word document is ruining it hmmph! It's so lovely to hear from all you readers quizzing me about Seiya and Usa. I can't reveal too much :p you'll just have to read on to find out, let me just say that Usa did a bad bad thing (hehe like that song by Chris Isaak) Just in case you guys didn't know, Eastwell is an actual manor in Kent, sadly it's been turned into a hotel but we can all dream that Mamoru occupies it, working hard in his oh-so-manly office http/ check it out. It's absolutely beautiful and a true inspiration for my story. It's a character in itself and I hope you guys appreciate my attempt at describing such an impressive piece of landscaped architecture. Cheers my darlings, enjoy a little bit of my escapism, you deserve it!

In The Rough – Chapter Three 

_Better a Diamond with a Flaw_

Author: Cher 

Rated: R (it's coming!)

Email: To: Nizlopi – Freedom

There was nothing quite so lovely as the setting of an informal dinner at Eastwell. A casually small dining room, hidden away at the back of the house was ready and waiting for the small group.

Usagi was the first to arrive dressed casually in jeans and a turtle-necked sweater. The nights were chilly at Eastwell when she was out of the comfort of her heated room. She marvelled at the fireplace crackling merrily behind the small square dining table. It, along with the scuff of her flat-heeled sandal on the flagstone, was the only sound in the room.

The utter lavishness of the house was not lost on this room. Antiques were never few and far between at Eastwell, but from the small portion of it that Usagi had seen so far, this room was the barest of all. In saying that, she smiled at how homely it felt, letting her imagination carry her to scenes of a young Mamoru and his family enjoying breakfasts, lunches and dinners, seated at the very table before her.

Always a sucker for family, Usagi had painted a happy picture of Mamoru's. Though he was brisk with her, and the dark glint that flickered in his eye every so often terrified her, she felt that there was certain warmth to him unlike any other man she'd yet to meet.

Usagi stood with her back to the doorway, her eyes roaming tenderly over the countryside. This manor was truly inspiring, its magic was never lost on Usagi. She could see so much from this tiny vantage point in the back corner of the building. An ancient stone building was nestled at the very back of the landscaped lawns, Usagi would have to ask Molly about it, she noticed several comings and goings that morning while she was on her run.

The sun had long ago sunk into the hills and twilight at Eastwell was a breath-taking sight. Where the garden met forest, Usagi could see fireflies dancing gently in the breeze. Despite the promise of a delicious hot meal – and she was starved – Usagi longed to explore the gardens and the rest of the manor. She wondered if she'd ever get the opportunity to do so.

Lost deep in thought, Usagi barely heard the sound of the door opening, it was the whoosh of the fire that alerted her to someone entering the room. She turned to find herself staring at a very comfortable looking Mamoru. He himself had changed into baggy jeans that hung off his pelvic bones perfectly. A fitted brown, zip-up turtleneck was all that accompanied the jeans and he looked deliciously masculine.

It was obvious that he'd both showered and shaved, a thought that left Usagi wondering if he'd done it for her behalf. In any case, he looked every bit the relaxed country-goer, a violent contrast to the no-nonsense businessman she'd dealt with that day.

"You look much more refreshed, Miss Tsukino." Mamoru said, pouring himself a glass of cabernet. He offered one to Usagi and she nodded thankfully.

Miss Tsukino? How had she gone from simply Usagi to Miss Tsukino? Was Mamoru trying to pointedly make it clear that she was his business associate and nothing less? Usagi felt downtrodden. She was at odds with herself. It was wrong for her to be lusting after her boss, more so since her job pitted her so close to him and he allowed her to live under his roof.

Handing her the wine in a stunning crystal glass, Mamoru joined her at the window, gazing across the vastness of his property. This time of night was always Mamoru's favourite, the estate gardens that sprawled before him seemed to shimmer a lucid silver in the moonlight. It was almost romantic in a way that Mamoru couldn't quite fathom.

Usagi sighed with longing as she took a small sip of the wine. It was a moment she'd never forget, her first real night of independence and she was sharing a glass of wine in a beautiful estate with a handsome man. Inwardly groaning, Usagi wanted to slap herself, she didn't know how long it was going to take her to realise that he was just. Her. Boss.

"You look stunned." He said, smiling roguishly down at her.

His smile gave her a little bit of reassurance and she nodded, taking another sip of wine. "I am. This place is like nothing I've ever seen. It's so…decadent." Usagi said, moving away from him, the wine combined with his closeness was making her feel a bit heady.

Mamoru followed suit and took his place at the head of the small dining table. Instantly his stature was alleviated. Sitting there, with the roaring fire at his back, he looked like a king among peasants. His easy comfort, the way he leant back with his legs stretched under the table, hooked at the ankles and his arms folded behind his head.

Strangely enough it was now more than ever, that Usagi found him his most dangerous. He was clearly a man in his element. Mamoru's confidence frightened her as her position with him was a precarious one, however, she knew that if the circumstances were any different, his no-nonsense masculinity would excite her to no-ends. If she were entirely honest with herself she'd admit to already feeling the tendrils of sexual excitement creeping through her body.

"Eastwell is stunning, I do prefer though, to keep my business in London. I love the city." Mamoru said, gazing at her lazily from his relaxed position.

Usagi herself, had taken the seat at the opposite end of the table, his comfortable stance had prompted her to lift her feet onto the seat of the chair and hug her legs to her body.

"Hmmm." She said, not entirely agreeing with him. "London is a beautiful city. I've never been too partial to the country myself, though in a place like this one could get very used to the lifestyle."

Mamoru nodded, arching his back to stretch out his sore muscles. By doing-so, his sweater rose revealing the sculpted abdomen that Usagi had imagined.

"You're too right! Remind me to have Molly show you the gardens at some point tomorrow, they'll take your breath away." Mamoru said in a subdued voice.

"Of course, Mr. Chiba, not a problem." Usagi said, unable to stop the clipped tone she reserved for business from sneaking its way into her voice.

"Please Miss Tsukino, if we're going to be working so closely together, I'd appreciate it if you call me Mamoru, besides Mr. Chiba reminds me of my father, I'm no way deserving of that title." Mamoru scoffed and Usagi could hear the dark undertones of a child who had been disappointed by his father. She knew the tone well, it was something she herself reserved for her own parents.

"Well then I should expect you'd call me Usagi." Usagi said, tilting her head to rest on her arms that were perched at the top of her knees. She offered him another stunning smile that he returned.

Seeing Usagi sitting in his informal dining room the way she was, comfortable and seemingly at ease, made Mamoru feel somewhat relieved. There was no denying she was a stunningly attractive woman, but there was a warmth and maturity in her that Mamoru felt assured would save them both from future embarrassment. He had not ignored her open-mouthed stares during their time together in the office and was glad that he was able to call in a favour from his old lover.

The relaxed girl in front of him reminded him of his mother. Mamoru remembered fondly how she used to throw herself haphazardly across pieces of priceless antique furniture with no regard to their worth or value, simply looking for another part of the house that hadn't been filled by her unique presence. Usagi probably had no idea that the chair she was currently perched upon cost Mamoru up to $5000 alone. Mamoru didn't seem to mind that it was her feet that were currently resting on his antique, but he knew that if it were anyone else he'd have politely told them of his strict no-feet policy.

At that moment Molly and a slightly hunched elder gentleman entered the room and instantly the atmosphere moved from subdued relaxation to chaotic. Usagi lowered her feet to the floor and stood, receiving a hug from Molly and an enthusiastic handshake from the gentleman who, with a kiss on both of her cheeks, introduced himself as Melvin, Molly's beloved.

Love filled the room with the couple's arrival. Usagi smiled warmly as she watched the trio interact, Molly and Melvin treating Mamoru like their own son with their gently chiding and familiar joking.

Finally after dinner had been finished, Usagi, who had remained content to simply listen to the hurried chatter, found herself the centre of the party's attention.

"Usagi, my dear, you're absolutely stunning. Where on earth did Molly pluck you from?" Melvin said, clearly feeling more daring as the wine was freely poured.

Usagi herself had consumed a few glasses more than she should have in the company of her boss, so she was not too concerned about the personal question, or the blatant adoration from Melvin.

"I am English originally, though my parents relocated to Japan when I was quite young." Usagi said with a smile, fondly reminiscing on her childhood in Japan. She noticed Mamoru smiling with understanding, not realising that she had solved a puzzle that had been bothering Mamoru since his stumbled entry into her suite last night.

"But your accent, my darling child, it's not like any I've ever heard." Molly said, again unable to believe that the leggy blonde was of English origin.

Usagi smiled again, lifting her glass to her lips and taking a rather undignified sip. She knew she couldn't tell them about her and Seiya but she didn't want to have to lie to the lovely Molly and Melvin.

"Well my fiancé and I had travelled extensively throughout the last couple of years. He was a…his career was one that didn't leave time for settling down." Usagi sighed and with a shrug said, "I guess I've developed a sort of trans-continental accent, I'm a bit homeless really. We'd just returned to Tokyo when I…we…decided to call it quits. As soon as it happened I moved to England to start over and here I am." Usagi could feel the tears welling in her eyes and cursed herself. The alcohol didn't help, neither did Molly's insistence on clucking over her or Mamoru's steely gaze as he watched her reveal a small piece of her past, an intense frown forming across his brow.

Molly, god bless her, had fluttered over to Usagi and wrapped her in a tight bear hug. "Now, now my dear, don't you worry about a thing. You've come to the right place to heal that broken heart of yours. In fact, I know just the thing that will make you feel better. If Mamoru is quite happy to excuse us…" Molly turned to their boss and gazed at him imploringly.

Usagi was shocked out of her emotional reverie by the tenderness in Molly's voice as she uttered the 'masters' name. Usagi had yet to hear Molly address him as anything but the master and it was clear that she saved his actual name for use in a more intimate sphere. Usagi admired Molly's ability to drift between the personal and business relationship with ease, she clearly was a special lady in Mamoru's life and it was only now when she watched Molly place a tender hand and kiss Mamoru's forehead that Usagi fully understood the depth of their relationship.

Mamoru smiled up at Molly as she brushed the hair from his eyes. She would never replace his mother, but she did a damn good job of taking on that maternal grandparent role that Mamoru neither disagreed with nor disapproved of. While he was slightly annoyed at losing an inebriated Usagi, he understood the need to remove her from this setting. He hated seeing women cry, regardless of the circumstances and Mamoru did not want to tarnish Usagi's image in his mind. The truth was, he was eager to learn of her past and the mention of this fiancé had piqued his interest. Usagi was a beautiful woman and clearly a nice girl, what kind of man would throw that away? It puzzled Mamoru to no ends and frustrated him that Usagi had gotten over-emotional and was unable to finish her story.

Having no idea how fresh the heartbreak was, Melvin attempted to cheer Usagi up. "It's probably a good thing, love, if you hadn't of broken off with your fiancé, you'd never of met a stud like me-self" Melvin said, snapping imaginary suspenders with pride.

Despite herself, Usagi laughed along with Molly at the sight of the weedy old man attempting to impress her.

Mamoru stood along with Melvin and draped a casual arm over his shoulder, he turned his dazzling smile to Usagi and Molly and winked.

"I'm sure Usagi has had numerous better offers than that one old man." Mamoru said, gasping in faux-pain as Melvin punched him lightly in the side.

Molly and Usagi left the room laughing, both men gazing thoughtfully after their retreating figures.

"She sure is something." Melvin said, finishing off Mamoru's wine.

"I've no doubt about that one, mate." Mamoru agreed, holding the door open for Melvin.

"Just watch yourself there. You might hide it from her well, but I've known you too long for you to be able to hide things from me. Molly might be blinded by faith, but I know you better than that, son. Be careful with that one, she looks like a bit of a livewire." Melvin said sagely before he leant over and gave Mamoru a hasty kiss on the cheek. "Night son, try to stay out of trouble."

Mamoru was too distracted to put up his usual fight from his surrogate fathers goodnight kisses. What had started as a joke, Melvin chasing the shrieking Mamoru through the house as a young child had turned into a nightly routine, though sometimes uncomfortable, Mamoru appreciated the closeness that Melvin and Molly provided him.

Tonight though, he was far too distracted to care. If Melvin had unmasked Mamoru's true feelings that easily than it was only a matter of time before word would get around that Mamoru was enamoured with his new PA. Not one to play favourites, Mamoru knew that that absolutely could not happen under any circumstances.

Thankfully it was nearing 9pm and his guest would be arriving very soon. With a withered gaze in the direction of Usagi's suite, Mamoru shook his head and bounded up the stairs, two at a time to have a quick shower before his guest would arrive.

----

"So I told him to fuck off and leave me alone or I'd call my brother who would come and get me!"

Shrieks of laughter trickled from within a well lit section of the house. Usagi was following Molly who was tut-tutting about the use of some rather vulgar language that floated to their ears as they marched down the hall.

"Now these girls are gems, real gems, but like every precious gem, they're a bit rough round the edges." Molly said, holding a door open for Usagi, who stepped into the room noiselessly.

Usagi gazed about her in surprise. Three girls, all around her own age, sat in front of a mirror in various stages of undress, carefully applying make-up. Usagi cleared her throat to grab the attention of the three girls who turned in shock, one with long black hair squealing in surprise.

"Oh for goodness sake girls, it's only me." Molly scolded, appearing from behind Usagi having shut and locked the door. "This is Usagi, the Masters new assistant." Molly said and at the revelation of Usagi's title, the three girls seemed to flock to Usagi's side.

"Uh oh, there's going to be trouble on all fronts with a bombshell like you." Said the black-haired beauty.

Usagi was about to respond when she was beaten to it by the tall brunette. "Definitely! The Master is going to be brooding from here to next Tuesday." The brunette said.

A shorter brunette rolled her eyes and held her hand out to Usagi. "My name is Lizzie, it's a pleasure to have a new face at the estate." Lizzie said, shaking Usagi's hand firmly, her face warm and open.

"It's lovely to meet you, all of you, I was starting to wonder where the rest of the staff were hiding." Usagi said, blushing slightly as she noticed again that Lizzie was the only one of the three that was covered by a terry cloth robe.

The raven-haired girl realised Usagi's discomfort and laughed gently. "Forgive us, we're in a hurry to get ready, we're heading into town for drinks with Lizzie's brother. I'm Rei, by the way, and this is Lita." Rei said, leading Usagi into the room and over to the worn looking couch.

Molly re-emerged from what Usagi assumed was the bathroom and handed Lita and Rei a bathrobe each. They smiled graciously and slipped their slender forms into the robes.

"Thanks Molly, perhaps Usagi could come with us to the pub? Has she got a busy day tomorrow?" Lizzie asked, returning to the mirror to apply the finishing touches to her already beautiful face.

Molly smiled with obvious delight and clapped her hands together. "I was hoping you'd say that. Usagi's probably sick to death of hanging around Melvin and I, not to mention the Master." Molly whispered theatrically.

The four of them tittered with laughter while Usagi simply smiled. She was taken aback by the beauty of these three girls. Rei was a knockout, her hair dramatically complimented her pale skin and with the make-up she was carefully applying, her eyes shimmered so that they looked almost purple. Rei was about Usagi's height, but wearing black thigh-high stockings with lacy suspenders and spiked stilettos, Rei looked like she would tower over Usagi.

Lita was the tall one of the group, her legs were so long that she reminded Usagi of a supermodel. She had pulled her chestnut hair into a loose ponytail and the curls framed her face in a way that made her look approachable, but sexy at the same time. Usagi definitely approved, the girls all had a style that was unique and feminine without being overly pretentious.

While Rei and Lita chattered endlessly, Lizzie threw on a pair of jeans and a sweater much like Usagi's. Rei had opted for a black halter mini-dress which plunged at the cleavage. Lita was also a bit daring with her choice of attire, a low cut top that cut a slash between her ample chest that made Usagi want to blush. This was paired with a short black mini-skirt and knee high boots.

There was a time when Usagi would have been comfortable in such clothes, celebrating her femininity in a way that made her look sexy. But now, Usagi had never been more glad to have thrown on her old jeans and turtleneck, feeling tired and frumpy after her long day at work and the hint of rejection she was feeling from Mamoru.

"You'll have to forgive Lita and Rei, they don't get out of the estate much, so any chance to act like tramps is appreciated by them." Lizzie said, her tone entirely joking.

"Oi! Come off it, just cause Usagi didn't see your efforts last weekend doesn't mean you can go slagging off on all of us." Lita laughed, throwing a cushion Usagi and Lizzie's way.

Usagi couldn't help but laugh. It was so nice for her to finally be in the company of people her own age, that weren't sickeningly attractive authority figures.

"So Usagi…bugger it, can I just call you Usa? It's a lot easier and we're all going to be mighty drunk by the time we get home…" Rei trailed off, applying another sheen of lip gloss to her already shimmering lips.

"Of course you can." Usagi said, smiling up at her new friends. They were all so lovely…and real!

"Anyway, Usa, where do you hail from? You look like you've stepped right out of Cali-fucking-fornia, where on earth did you get a tan like that? Is it natural?" Rei hooked her arm through Usagi's and the four of them made their way through the endless hallways of the manor.

"Actually yes, it is. My fiancé…well ex-fiancé and I did a lot of travelling in Australia over the last few years, now my skin takes to sun like a duck to water." Usagi smiled over at Lita, who was equally tanned.

"Fucken' 'ell, I wish I could tan like that, look at me pasty whites, I'm almost bloody see-through." Rei laughed, holding her arms out for the girls to examine.

Her earlier polished accent was beginning to slip to the familiar cockney of most of the hired staff in the manor, the effect of too much alcohol and a lot of time spent in the company of the help.

"I think it suits you, you'd look weird with darker skin." Usagi's voice was timid, but Rei's smiling eyes told her that she had been well and truly accepted into the circle.

They were standing at the bottom of the steps, slipping into their coats that Molly had carefully hung in the cloakroom, when the sound of creaking timber had them all spinning around in shock.

"Honestly Rei, when are you going to learn to curb that gutter mouth of yours?" Mamoru said, descending the staircase.

"Ooo look who it is! You don't usually venture to these parts at this time of night unless you…" Rei shrieked in delight. "Unless you've got a guest coming over. Finally, Mamoru's going to…"

"Enough! Usagi, I see you've become acquainted with my sister?" Mamoru said, an angry flash filling his eyes.

Usagi smiled up at him and even amongst the glamorous Rei and Lita, she still looked dazzlingly beautiful to him. Mamoru cursed softly under his breath and hoped desperately that they wouldn't run into his guest on their way out.

"Oh yes, I hadn't realised that you and Rei were related. Molly suggested I accompany the girls into town…is that okay?" Usagi said, her newfound confidence diminishing by the second.

Mamoru let out a short laugh as he descended the steps. He took her coat from her and held it open while she slipped her tiny arms into the dark sleeves.

"Of course it is Usagi, you aren't required to be at my beck and call 24 hours a day. Although remember that I need you to be in my office by 9am tomorrow." Mamoru said, appraising the beauty before him and skilfully ignoring Lita and Rei who were making silent vomiting gestures behind Usagi.

Usagi nodded and hastily buttoned up her coat. The more he paid attention to her the more insecure she felt. She wanted to be out of his zone immediately. Thankfully he turned to Lizzie who was tying a huge scarf around her neck.

"Lizzie, when is your brother coming to visit us? I know you're going to meet him at that pitiful excuse of a pub he loves. Tell him he still owes me money." Mamoru leant down and brushed a light kiss on Lizzie's cheek before turning and doing the same to Rei and Lita. "And you two trouble-makers, try not to catch a cold. Lita, we're taking the stallion out tomorrow, is that correct?"

Lita nodded with a grin. "It should be good, the trainers have been working overtime to get him in shape for the derby." Usagi noticed an excited glimmer in Lita's eyes and wondered if she and Mamoru had a past.

Mamoru turned to her and smiled rakishly. "I'm afraid you'll probably end up taking care of these two, once I let them loose they tend get a little wild. Lizzie's brother will give you a hand if they cause you too much trouble." Mamoru said with a wink before turning and making his way to the drawing room. "Goodnight ladies, go easy on poor Usagi will you?"

Rei laughed at the panic-stricken look on Usagi's face and grabbed the blonde's wrist. "Nothing to worry about, we'll be right as rain." Rei said with a beaming smile, the girls trotted outside, Rei and Lita lighting up cigarettes while Lizzie called for a taxi.

----

It was a long drive from Eastwell to the nearest town of Ashford and in that time, Usagi had taken great delight in becoming acquainted with Rei, Lita and Lizzie. Usagi was secretly relieved to hear that the only relationship between Lita and Mamoru was a professional one. Lita was the head of the stables at Eastwell, governing over a team of trainers, vets and groom hands. They both shared an equal love for the equines that were housed in the Eastwell stables, particularly Sheffield, the Arabian stallion that Mamoru had purchased some months ago. Lita regaled with passion how she and her team of trainers had worked hard to get the stallion to the standard it is at today.

Usagi had commented how she'd never really taken to horse riding and Lita in turn promised to take her for a ride around the grounds on a tamer-natured mare.

Lizzie was not actually an official member of staff at Eastwell but had loved the manor so much when she was growing up that she begged Mamoru to let her rent out a suite of rooms. Lizzie took great pleasure in revealing to Usagi that she was a successful playwright, no thanks to Mamoru who had bankrolled a couple of her earlier projects. Lizzie spent the days writing in various inspiring nooks and crannies of the enormous estate.

When Usagi asked Lizzie how she and Mamoru had initially met, Lizzie gushed about her brother and Mamoru's deeply rooted friendship. Andrew, who the girls were going to meet, had met Mamoru in primary school. The pair were inseparable and Lizzie recounted tales of how they would torment her as a young child. She was four years younger than her brother and his best-friend, but she herself had cemented an affectionate place in the Chiba's family and home.

Rei's story was the most surprising of the three. She was, like Lita, the same age as Usagi and at 26 had dealt with a lifetime of sorrow. She amazed Usagi with her bright outlook on life, even after the trials she'd suffered. Rei was Mamoru's fathers illegitimate child to another woman whom he'd had an affair with. Rei's mother was not aware of Kazuya's wealthy background, nor of his marriage to Mamoru's mother. He carried on the relationship with Rei's mother for 2 years before she fell pregnant with Rei. As soon as Kazuya learnt that there was a threat to his son's inheritance he arranged to have Rei's mother paid off and shipped to Northern England where he hoped she would remain in the dark about his wealth and lifestyle.

Rei's mother herself was not a wealthy woman and not schooled in the way of legal rights, so she took the pittance Kazuya offered her and relocated to the North where she had her baby in relative peace.

For years, Rei and her mother struggled to make ends meet. The money Kazuya paid was kept in savings for when Rei began her schooling. Rei's mother eventually discovered the truth about Kazuya's wealth but was content in having a happy and healthy daughter. It paid for admission to a prestigious boarding school, where Rei then won scholarship after scholarship.

It was in her college years that her mother, riddled with cancer had passed away, leaving Rei heartbroken and alone.

Left to juggle the pressure of university, a part-time job and home repayments, Rei eventually buckled under the pressure and dropped out of school. She worked full-time to keep the loan-sharks off her back.

During this dark time Rei's own grandfather appeared and invited her to live with him so that she could sell the house and pay off the remaining debt.

Usagi had asked why Rei didn't return to college as she was obviously a gifted scholar. Rei had simply shrugged and explained that she had one last chance to connect with a family member and she wasn't going to waste the time with her nose in a book.

When she turned 21, Rei's grandfather felt she was old enough to know the truth about her father, having been told she was the child of an honourable man who paid for her to enter the best schools (Rei's mother didn't want Rei to feel abandoned or rejected by her father), Rei was justly shocked to learn her father was in fact the Kazuya Chiba she studied while in business school.

Angered and disgusted, Rei set about contacting the Chiba's and staking a claim in what was rightfully hers. She knew there was an heir to the family fortune and in no way wanted to impose on his birthrights, but she felt she deserved to be acknowledged as a Chiba in some way.

Years of legal battles and meetings with her biological father, which always left her feeling dejected and alone, left a paper trail longer than any Kazuya had ever before seen. He did his best to hide the affairs from his son who was being groomed to take over the company.

When Kazuya died, he left a confidential file filled with the DNA reports, legal minutes and all information he had regarding the fact that he was positively identified as Rei Hino's father, in a safe built into his desk.

Naturally, Mamoru had found it almost as soon as he took over the company. He was shocked, angry and disgusted at his fathers brutal treatment of his illegitimate child and vowed to track Rei down and set things right.

When Mamoru had found Rei, her grandfather had just passed away and she was mourning, alone, at a seedy English pub. She mistook Mamoru's first reaching out to her as a come-on and had thrown beer in his face.

Angry, but admiring of his half-sisters spark, he followed her home where he copped a string of verbal abuse and accusations of being a stalker. He calmly explained to her that that was in fact his BMW parked outside of her small cottage-home and if she'd give him a minute he would retrieve a file that may interest her.

He had piqued her interests and she allowed him to come in, even taking his shirt and washing it for him while they each poured over the file. A lot of it was familiar to Rei and she assumed that Mamoru was a lawyer for Chia Inc. She was relieved to discover he was actually Mamoru Chiba and that he was coming to offer her stake in his inheritance.

It took Rei two weeks to make the decision to move in with Mamoru at Eastwell. Not only would it mean she could continue her studies, it also allowed her to reconnect that spark of family that had died with her grandfather. Mamoru was her last living blood-relative and she desperately craved a family of her own to nourish and nurture.

By the time Rei had finished her tale, the girls had arrived at the pub and squeezed into a corner booth, each with a large pint of beer before them.

"Oh my god! So how was it moving to Eastwell? It must have been a huge culture shock!" Usagi said, shaking her head in disbelief.

Rei laughed and took a big gulp of beer. "Definitely. I was used to two bedrooms and a kitchenette. I had to somehow become accustomed to suite's and flats and bloody full-serviceable restaurants. Mamoru has conferences at Eastwell all the time, not so much now but when I first moved in. I'd be studying and hear a bit of a ruckus downstairs, I'd wander down and come face to face with an ambassador of China or some such rubbish. It was insane. But I was so happy to be there, Molly and Melvin welcomed me like a daughter and Mamoru and I got on instantly, it was like I'd been there forever. Eastwell is a huge place and can be pretty intimidating, but there is just something about it that welcomes you instantly, it's so homely." Rei said, sighing wistfully as she gazed out at the dark, cobblestone streets.

The other two girls agreed with that and Usagi smiled at the thought of assimilating into this seemingly happy family.

"That was good of Mamoru." Usagi finally said after a long silence.

Rei nodded, finishing off her beer. "It was. He can be a lovely guy, a real gentleman but he has a lot of issues." Rei rolled her eyes.

Usagi tried to sound disinterested but she desperately wanted to learn more about the personal side of Mamoru. "What sort of issues?" She said, with what she hoped was a disdainful look.

Rei laughed again, a little louder this time. "Oh nothing you wouldn't have noticed. He's a work-a-holic, a womaniser and an absolute ass when it comes to romance. He's probably back at Eastwell banging some tramp right now." Rei said with obvious disgust.

The other two girls laughed loudly and agreed with Rei while Usagi tried not to look too interested. She had taken Rei's comments earlier about Mamoru having a guest in the house in jest. Assuming that it was a sisterly jibe, Usagi hadn't paid it a second thought, but now, knowing that there may actually be some weight to Rei's accusation, Usagi felt a sick feeling in her stomach.

Peering listlessly into her half-drunk beer, Usagi resolved than and there to push any and all romantic thoughts of Mamoru from her mind. There was no chance for her in his high-rolling world. She knew that he merely saw her as an assistant, how could he see her as anything more when his needs were so clearly being fulfilled as she sat in a strange English pub, with a lukewarm beer.

With a heavy sigh, Usagi threw back what was remaining of her drink and resolved to do the only thing left to do…get ridiculously drunk.

"Woah, that's the spirit right there." Lita said with a clap of her hands.

Usagi beamed at the other three girls and stood from the booth. "I think it's my shout. What do you girls say?" Usagi said, pulling her wallet from her bag.

"Why don't we get a jug?" Lizzie suggested, knowing that Andrew would be arriving soon.

The girls told Usagi what sort of beer to order (the time she spent travelling had left her unsure of what brands were where when it came to beer) and she trotted over to the bar where she was greeted with a low whistler from the barman.

"What'll it be, fair maiden?" The old man said with a toothy smile. He had a strong Irish lilt to his accent and made the pokey pub all the more charming to Usagi's foreign delight.

"Oh come on!" Usagi said with a small laugh, thrusting a fistful of pounds to the tender. "I'll take a jug of Banks' Original thanks."

The bar tender beamed up at the foreign girl and said, "a girl after my own heart. Aye. This one is surely on the house for you madam. You take a seat over there with your friends and I'll bring this one right over."

Usagi looked at him aghast and shook her head. "No, no, please take the money. I'd feel terrible." Usagi pushed the money towards him and he shook his head, arms crossed.

"If you feel terrible than pop it over there in the tip jar, I'll treat the staff to a hot roast come Sunday." He winked at her and she nodded with a conspiring smile.

Leaving the bar tender to fix her order, Usagi made her way to the other end of the long bar and shoved the money into the grimy, half-full jar. Bristling at the neck, Usagi felt the presence of someone behind her, a definite masculine smell assaulted her nostrils and the heat of someone elses body engulfed her.

She saw a male hand reach over her shoulder and across her body to where the tip jar was. As the hand shoved money into the jar a voice materialised at her ear.

"You tip big, you must be American. I haven't seen a tan that dark since I visited down under." A gravely timbre, definitely male voice purred into her ear.

Usagi felt the hairs on the back of her neck bristle and a shiver of delight ran from the base of her spine. She carefully turned and found herself face to face with a handsome man of about her age. He was wearing loose jeans and a dark zip-up sweater and smelt heavenly of sandalwood and masculinity all mixed to form an undeniable scent of male.

They were very close, their face mere inches apart and as more people poured into the small country pub, he was pressed against her. Her head was level with his shoulders and she had to lean back against the bar to find his eyes.


	5. Better a Diamond with a Flaw Part B

In The Rough

Better a Diamond with a Flaw – Part B

Author: Cher 

Rating: R

Listening to: Shapeshifters – Lola's theme

"You tip big, you must be American. I haven't seen a tan that dark since I visited down under." A gravely timbre, definitely male voice purred into her ear.

Usagi felt the hairs on the back of her neck bristle and a shiver of delight ran from the base of her spine. She carefully turned and found herself face to face with a handsome man of about her age. He was wearing loose jeans and a dark zip-up sweater and smelt heavenly of sandalwood and masculinity all mixed to form an undeniable scent of male.

They were very close, their face mere inches apart and as more people poured into the small country pub, he was pressed against her. Her head was level with his shoulders and she had to lean back against the bar to find his eyes.

"Well I hadn't quite intended for this rather uncomfortable situation." He said with a rakish smile, brushing a stray piece of blonde hair from his sparkling green eyes.

Laughing awkwardly, Usagi tried to move aside to give him some room but was rudely shoved by another patron, sending her stumbling into his embrace, her small hands resting on his upper arms. She could feel his firm muscles beneath the cotton of his sweater and blushed.

"This was just destined to end miserably. Can I buy you a drink?" The handsome man asked, his honey-smooth accent was delightful to Usagi's ears.

She smiled up at him and shook her head, "I've just ordered a jug I'm afraid." Usagi said, finally releasing his arms from her grip. His remained in place, holding her waist steady so that she wouldn't be shoved anymore.

"A whole jug? My you're on a mission to wipe yourself out aren't you?" He chuckled.

Usagi laughed with him and shook her head. "For my friends too." She fought the urge to stick out her tongue but she couldn't keep the jokingly petulance from her voice.

"I'll take you to them, where are they?" He asked, as she began a slow but determined push through the throng of people that blocked her path to the corner booth. She reached behind her for his hand and clinging to him, slowly dragged him to the booth where the girls were waiting.

"Hi guys, the jug's coming, I hope you don't mind I've bought someone from the bar to join us…" Usagi said softly.

The man moved from behind her, still clutching her hand and smiled at the three girls with a rather sheepish expression.

"If I had of known she was with you I would have taken a less forward approach." He said with a small cough.

"Andrew!" Rei and Lita shrieked simultaneously, jumping up and throwing their arms around his neck. He laughed and affectionately kissed each of the girls on the cheek.

Once he had untangled himself from the doting girls and his beloved sister, he leant over to where the mortified Usagi stood and whispered theatrically to her, "if I had of known you were friends with my harem of adoring maidens, I'd have taken a less forward approach." Andrew's mouth, so close to her again, was making her mind fog in confusion. He was so attractive, and clearly interested but she felt somewhat torn between himself and the brooding enigma that was Mamoru who was probably knee deep in whore back at Eastwell.

Usagi laughed, forgetting her earlier awkwardness towards Andrew and gave him a dramatic wink. "Don't worry, I'll keep our earlier encounter entirely to myself. I'm Usagi by the way." She said, squeezing into the booth opposite where he had currently parked himself. Lizzie was sitting beside Usagi and leaned over to talk to Andrew.

"Usagi is Mamoru's new assistant. She only arrived here yesterday. Can you believe he'd do this to himself again?" Lizzie laughed, wrapping an arm around Usagi's shoulders. "No offence Usa, but the boss has a tendency to hire beautiful women and fire them as soon as they respond to his come-on's." Lizzie rolled her eyes dramatically and gave Usagi's shoulders a squeeze. "You seem like you've got your head screwed on pretty tight though. Luckily we've gotten to you first so we can warn you against his 'irresistible' charm. I hope you stick around a little longer than the other ones." Lizzie said, her cheeks reddening as she consumed more alcohol.

Usagi met Andrews gaze and saw a darkness thundering in his eyes she wondered if it were because his sister was drunk, or because he was jealous of Mamoru. Usagi had once been rather skilled at reading a mans reactions but her long hiatus from the dating scene made her feel rather inept when it came to Andrew…not to mention her boss.

Later that evening, after several jugs of beer and getting to know one another, Andrew and Usagi stood outside the pub while Rei and Lita were currently participating in a 'dance-off' on top of the bar and Lizzie was caught up in an intimate conversation with a local farmer.

Despite the cold, Usagi had long ago slipped out of her coat and had Mac, the ancient bar tender keep it safe for her behind the bar. She stood with Andrew as he inhaled deeply on a cigarette. He offered it to her and she shook her head.

Feeling loose and abandoning any pretences of a sober, responsible young lady, Usagi wrapped her hand around a lamp post and proceeded to swing around it, her other arm outstretched, delighting in the peals of laughter from Andrew that echoed into the empty street.

Suddenly stopping, Usagi felt dizzy and stumbled in the direction of the road. Andrew, slightly less inebriated then herself caught her by the arm and pulled her back to the footpath. He wrapped a protective arm around her and marvelled down at the tiny girl. In this state, she was much more confident than when he had first laid eyes on her and his attraction to her was becoming almost unbearable.

Usagi, suddenly feeling the cold shivered violently. She purred in delight as Andrew wrapped his arms around her smaller body and held her to his warm chest. He was still taking deep drags of the cigarette.

"You know, I really hope Mamoru doesn't fuck you around like he did the other assistants." Andrew said, a hint of venom in his voice.

Usagi looked up at him, her arms now around his waist, her eyes twinkling in the moonlight. "What like literally fuck?" She asked, with a timid voice.

Andrew let out a hearty laugh and shook his head. He flicked the cigarette away and tucked a loose strand of blonde hair behind her ears.

"No, no, I mean like muck you around with the job. I uh…I really like you and I think you're good value. You'd be great to have around…just…you know I'm not saying…" Andrew's voice got smaller and smaller as he stumbled through his sentences and Usagi took delight in seeing a crimson blush creeping across his cheeks.

Forgetting herself and revelling in her drunken state, Usagi put an unsteady hand on his cheek and slowly lifted her face to his. She rose on her tiptoes and felt the heat of the moment consume her as he pulled her body roughly against his. Just as he was about to crush his lips to hers the door of the pub slammed open.

"Oi, lovebirds! It's time to fucking high tail it out of here, Lita's spotted her ex and he doesn't look happy that she was snogging the life out of some tourist at the bar!" Rei laughed, tossing Usagi's coat to her. Andrew sighed and helped her into it, which was a task much more difficult than he had expected as both were reasonably drunk.

Leaving Usagi with Rei, he ran around the corner to find a cab for them all. As he jogged down the road to where he could see a parked cab, he cursed his rotten luck. Usagi was quite possibly the most amazing girl he'd ever met. Before she'd gotten trashed, she was elegant, soft-spoken and graceful. He loved the way she held that classiness but didn't let it consume her. There was a wild child buried somewhere deep within her prim and proper ways and all it took tonight to let it loose was a couple of pints of good beer. His smiling face fell at the thought of Mamoru. His childhood friend fawning over Usagi and the possibility of him treating her like all of his other assistants. He would have to have a word to his bad-boy buddy.

----

The cab ride was long and rather uneventful. The sound of Lita and Usagi snoring was enough to kill any conversation. Lita was propped up against the window, mouth open and head lolling with each corner. Rei and Lizzie stared silently out of the window, sometimes giggling quietly about the events of the night. Usagi had fallen asleep as soon as she and Andrew slid into the cab, her arms around his waist, her head resting on his chest. Lost in thought, he absentmindedly stroked her hair as she snored loudly.

Finally they arrived at Eastwell and Andrew was surprised to see the entryway light on. He helped Lizzie and Rei from the car and assured them he'd get Lita and Usagi safely to their rooms. After paying the cabbie, Andrew was able to wake Lita who stumbled into the house. Usagi, however, wouldn't budge and he ended up lifting her into his arms and carrying her from the cab to the stone steps.

He was damned if he knew which room Mamoru had allocated for Usagi and was contemplating waking him to ask when Mamoru appeared in the open doorway with a redhead draped from his arm.

The two friends stared at each other in shock. Andrew saw the flash of anger cross Mamoru's eyes at the sight of Usagi, hanging from Andrew's arms.

"Andrew, what a pleasant surprise." The redhead drawled, she was American and he knew that they'd met once before but he couldn't remember where.

"You remember Ann, don't you pal?" Mamoru asked, holding the woman tighter against him.

Andrew nodded and grinned. "Of course, New Years right?" Ann nodded, smiling somewhat freakishly, her red lipstick almost clown like against the pale pallor of her face.

Andrew smiled again and looked down at Usagi. "I'd offer you my hand but uh…" He trailed off with a small chuckle.

Ann laughed as well, disentangling herself from Mamoru's side. "That's okay, looks like someone had a little too much to drink. Is she your girlfriend?" Ann asked, slipping into her shoes.

Mamoru lit a cigarette and blew out the smoke with a hard puff. "Hardly, that's Usagi, my new assistant. She was looking a little better when I last saw her though. I hope she'll be okay for work." Mamoru grinned at his friend, his past animosity fading though jealousy was still running rampant with his emotions.

At the sound of Mamoru and Andrew's laughter, Usagi's eyes opened and she moaned softly.

"Are we home?" She whispered, lifting a hand to her head and cringing at the oncoming headache.

"Sure are, do you think you can walk?" Andrew asked, slowly lowering her to the ground.

She held tightly onto his lapels and squeezed her eyes shut. "I think I'll be okay. Thanks Andrew. I had a great time tonight." Her voice was hoarse and to her sounded like death, but to the two men standing by, she sounded like she'd just had the life fucked out of her. Mamoru shifted uncomfortably and felt his heart go out to Andrew he was clearly uncomfortable with her closeness.

"Yeah, me too Usa, I should go, the cabbie is waiting." Andrew said.

"You're not staying here tonight, pal?" Mamoru asked, helping Ann to her feet and offering her the remaining cigarette which she took gratefully.

"No, I just wanted to make sure the girls got home okay." Andrew smiled and lifted Usagi's hands from his chest. She stumbled a little and this time Mamoru caught her before she fell face first into the steps.

"Woah, this one has had way too much to drink." Mamoru laughed, propping her against the rail of the stone steps where she happily leant, safe for a while at least.

"Let me fix you up for the cab." Mamoru said, reaching for his back pocket.

"Don't be silly, I've got it." Andrew brushed him off and gave him a tight hug. "Next time you'll have to join us, whew, what a night."

Mamoru laughed and clapped his mate on the shoulder. "Definitely."

At that moment Ann appeared and smiled up at Andrew. "I'm driving through town, I can give you a lift if you like, it's no trouble at all." She drawled, kissing her hand and patting Mamoru's cheek. "Goodnight Sugar, thanks for the lovely evening. Tell your friend I hope she feels better." Ann grabbed Andrew by the wrist and practically dragged him to her waiting Porsche. He in turn looked over his shoulder in panic at the laughing Mamoru who gave him a thumbs up. The disgusted look on Andrew's face sent Mamoru into fits of suppressed laughter.

Mamoru turned and found Usagi looking blearily around her. Even in her drunken state, with her hair messy and her eyes glassy, Mamoru found her incredibly attractive. Although it was more a factor of cuteness than anything. She gazed at him in confusion and reached forward.

He caught her hand in his and just in time too, because she was stumbling precariously over the stone steps.

"Hey, hey, easy now, slow down, you're going to hurt yourself." Mamoru chuckled, pulling her close against his body and wrapping his free hand around her waist.

"Hey…" Usagi said, mustering all her energy to try to at least appear angry. "You shouldn't be so…touchy. You're my boss." She slurred, swaying so much that her forehead eventually landed on his chest.

Mamoru felt the smile fall from his face and looked down at her. She was so close, so achingly close. His nights exertion was wasted because Usagi was drunk and vulnerable and looking good enough to eat.

"Come on Usagi, lets get you to bed." Mamoru said, untangling himself from her and leading her up the stairs.

"Already? But we're having so much fun, Mamoru. Can't we just stay out a little longer." She sighed softly, tripping into his back. She could barely walk and Mamoru was feeling frustrated and flustered at her constant touch and closeness.

"Not tonight." He all but growled, swinging her up into his arms. He carried her down the hallway, cursing the fact that he could smell her shampoo up close.

"Did you have a good night with your friend?" Usagi mumbled, even her drunken state remembering to pay close attention to his deliciously smelling aftershave. She didn't even care that just hours ago he was probably in bed with the red-head Usagi vaguely remembered seeing out the front.

At Usagi's query Mamoru snapped and lowered her to the ground, he pushed her body roughly against her bedroom door and ignored her squeak of fear. He leaned in, his hands resting on the wall either side of her head and his mouth hovering dangerously close to hers. "Let's get one thing straight Usagi, my personal life is personal and I'd appreciate it to stay that way. I'll let it slide this time because you're drunk but it is entirely inappropriate of you to be asking about anything that goes on after hours. Do you understand that?" Mamoru growled, his breath warm on her flinching face.

Usagi had squeezed her eyes shut and his outburst had shocked her into sobriety.

"I understand, Mamoru." She said, her voice soft and quivering in fear.

His heart leapt into his throat as he heard her deflated tone and he moved his hand to lift her chin, her eyes fluttered open and she stared up at him with her mouth open in an o of shock.

"I'm sorry about that, I'm just…trying very hard to ignore this…" he coughed and looked away from her gaze. "It was just inappropriate is all." Mamoru said with a softer tone.

Usagi narrowed her eyes and shook his hand from her. She lifted her hands to rest on his chest and shoved him backwards, he barely moved but his hand dropped from where it was blocking her path to her bedroom.

"As inappropriate as that little display, Mamoru. I'm going to hope that that was a moment of weakness for both of us, but in the future unless you keep your hands to yourself, than maybe we should rethink this arrangement. I will not have you manhandle me in order to get a point across." Usagi said, remnants of her snobbish tone sneaking back into her voice.

Mamoru gazed at her in shock, her little nose pointing high into the air. Her British accent had thickened and he noticed that she was no longer the drunken, mumbling girl he held in his arms just moments ago.

She was about to enter her room when Mamoru called her name. "Usagi!"

She turned, glaring ice at him, "What?"

"I apologise." He mumbled, one hand in his pocket, the other ran rakishly through his hair.

She nodded, unsmiling and entered her room. When she had disappeared, Mamoru swore loudly and stalked away, kicking the wall fiercely as he rounded the corner. What the fuck was that?

----

Whew. That chapter was HUGE! I am so sorry. I hope I didn't bore you all to death hehe. In any case it was fun to write and I guess a little treat for you guys. Thanks for putting up with my lateness. Remember. Email me. I love hearing from you guys so much. Usachi10 Ciao xoC

And I'm sorry for the delay of part b. God knows what happened, I possibly killed the fanfiction dot net limit. Cheers!


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